Spray-washing apparatus for vehicles

ABSTRACT

A pipe frame having spray nozzles mounted therealong is pivotally attached at garage doorway to selectively spray-wash an automobile driving in or out of garage. Water supply to the frame may be from house supply, and mechanism is provided to mix soap with the water supply.

United States Patent [191 Jenkins et a1.

[54] SPRAY-WASHING APPARATUS F0 VEHICLES [76] Inventors: Tobie W.Jenkins, 3330 Ash St.; Delbert G. Jenkins, 3303 Ash St.; Dennis L.,Jenkins, 3015 Ash St., all of Denver, Colo. 80207 [22] Filed: May 3,1971 [21] Appl. No.: 139,717

521 US. Cl.- ..134/93, 134/123, 137/357 [51] Int. Cl. ..B60S 3/04 [58]Field of Search ...l34/45, 93, 100, 123; 137/357 [56] References CitedUNITED'STATES PATENTS 3,368,571 2/1968 Honorof ..134/100 51 Apr. 3, 19732,673,762 3/1954 Doyle, Jr. ..l34/93 X 3,139,096 6/1964 Harris ..134/1003,578,001 5/1971 Attaway ..l34/45 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS241,569 8/1960 Australia ..134/l23 Primary Examiner Robert L. BleutgeAttorney-Richard D. Law

[57 ABSTRACT A pipe frame having spray nozzles mounted therea'long ispivotally attached at garage doorway to selectively spray-wash anautomobile driving in or out of garage. Water supply to the frame may befrom house supply, and mechanism is provided to mix soap with the watersupply. I

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 3 I975 INVENTORS \CJEENKINS TOBIE W DELBERT JENKINS DENNIS L. JEN Kl NS FIG. 3

SPRAY-WASHING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES The present invention relates tospray apparatus mountable at private garage doorways for washingautomobiles. An automobile to be washed is driven backand-forth a fewtimes under the spray from the apparatus. The spray concurrently coversboth sides and the top of the automobile. Means may be provided forremote actuation of the spray. Water, soap-and-water, or wax may besprayed from the apparatus, and means may be provided to selectivelyswitch from one type of spray to another. The apparatus may be hingemounted at the garage doorway so as to be swung into a stowed positionin the garage when not in use.

Accordingly, an object and advantage of the present invention is toprovide apparatus for spray-washing vehicles such as automobiles.Another object of the inventiorr is to provide a spray-washing deviceeasily mountable at garage door-ways. Yet another object of theinvention is to provide a spray apparatus which may be remotelycontrolled by a driver in an automobile while the automobile is beingspray-washed. A further object of the invention is to provide sprayapparatus which may be selectively controlled to spray differentsubstances. A still further object and advantage of the invention is toprovide spray apparatus mountable at a garage doorway to be swung intoposition to spraywash an automobile entering or leaving the garage, theapparatus being stowable in the garage without dismounting.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention may bereadily ascertained by referring to the following description andappended illustrations, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the apparatus of theinvention as utilized;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the apparatusof the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a detail, partially in section, of further apparatus accordingto the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a pipe frame, indicated in general by numeral 1,has a generally inverted U-shape; the dimensions of frame 1 are suchthat an automobile of ordinary size may be driven under the frame whenthe frame is in canted or erected position (FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 2,frame 1 is fabricated from three connected sections of pipe or tubing 2,3, 4. End 40 of pipe 4 is capped with cap 5, while end 3a of pipe 3 isconnected to a pressurized water supply, i.e., garden hose or the like.The pipes 2, 3, 4 may be ordinary iron water pipes and the connectionsmade by conventional threaded elbows, or they may be made of copper oraluminum tubing with soldered joints. Spray nozzles 9 are mounted (e.g.,threaded) into the pipes at predetermined positions. The nozzles may beconventional nozzles which eject a fairly well-spread water spray. The

nozzles face inwardly into the area encompassed by the frame 1 andgenerally directed outwardly from the garage. It has been found that aspacing arrangement as illustrated effectively spray-washes anautomobile. The water supply to the pipes of the frame 1 may merely be agarden hose 45 run from house water pressure. The hose is easily coupledto pipe 3 by conventional couplings. Detergent may be used as explainedbelow.

The frame 1 may be secured at a garage doorway nugarage door. When thegarage has an overhead or rolling door, the frame may be pivotallysupported at hinges l1 and 12 from lintel 13 across the garage dooropening. When mounted in this manner the frame 1 may be pivoted upwardlyand secured in horizontal position at the top of the doorway when not inuse. Such an arrangement is particularly convenient for double garages.The frame may be pivotally secured near both ends of the frame legs tothe door jambs on a single garage (FIG. 1). When attached in the lattermanner, the frame is swung against the garage face when not in use, but,in use, may be swung out from the garage to utilize the full range ofspray. Less water enters the garage with this latter type of mounting.Alternatively, only one leg of the frame 1 may be pivotally mounted atone door jamb so that the frame may be swung inwardly against the garageside wall for storage. Pivotal mounting hardware is well known and maybe welded or otherwise fixed to frame 1. The frame may be secured to thegarage door and the legs pivoted up against the door when not in use. Avalve 43 mounted in water supply line 44, for selectively controllingthe supply of water to the frame may be placed in the garage so that theautomobile driver need merely reach out the automobile window to turnthe spray on or off. Such control valves 43 are well known.

The control valve 43 may be combined with a mechanism to combine soap orwax with the water supply to frame 1. One such a mechanism is shown inFIG. 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the mechanism includes adetergent container 20 having a water inlet 21 and a water outlet 22 anda closeable detergent supply inlet 23. Container 20 may have a wisevariety of forms, and the inlet 21 and outlet 22 may be formed in aremovable cap or the cap' may be permanently fixed to the container. Aperforated tube 25 may communicate with inlet 21 and extend well intocontainer 20. Water flowing into container 20 through tube 25 will bewell mixed with detergent in the container so that the discharge out ofoutlet 22 into the frame 1 will be detergent bearing water. A three-wayvalve 26 may cooperate with the water inlet 21 and outlet 22 oncontainer 20. In the off position, no water wouldbe supplied to frame 1;in another position,the water supply merous ways depending upon, forexample, the type of a could be mixed with detergent tosupply' frame 1;and the third position could divert water directly from the inlet to theoutlet to supply clear or rinse water to frame 1. Soap, detergent, orother water-soluble cleaning agents may be utilized in container 20.Certain soluble or emulsified waxes may, also, be utilized inthecontainer.

In one form a carrying strap 26 secured throug flanges 27 and 28 oncontainer 20 may be utilized to conveniently carry the container. Withhose 45 disconnected from frame 1, and the water supply on, spray fromhose 45 may be utilized for other spray applications. As shown in FIG.2, a simple container 29 having an inlet connected hose 44 and an outletconnected to hose 45. Filling inlet 30 for detergent permits adding thedetergent.

The unit may be made of steel, copper or aluminum pipe in the metaltype, and may be made of various types of plastic pipe available on themarket. The plastic pipe may be threaded or cemented together, usingnecessary connections. Plastic nozzles may, also,

be used with the unit, and these may be threaded, cemented or cast intothe pipe. When plastic pipe is used, it may be attached permanently tothe outside or built in the frame with the nozzles extended outwardly inwashing condition.

By using adjustable nozzles on the sides and the top, it is possible toadjust to the contour of the vehicle being washed. This permits directwashing of the front and rear of different makes .of automobiles. Thisadjustment uses less water and lower pressures.

As in FIG. 1, an automobile 51 may be driven in and out of a garage 5upon which frame 1 has been mounted on door jamb 52. As shown, frame 1is mounted by hinge 53 on jamb 52 and, in use, is tilted away from face54 of garage 50 to spray automobile 51. The detergent spray washes thecar being driven in and out of the garage. When the detergent is usedup, clear water rinses the car during the in and out driving.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for mounting at garage doorways to wash automobiles andlike vehicles comprising: at least one set of water pipes forming agenerally inverted U- shaped frame having two legs and having a widthand height to accomodate an automobile therethrough; hinged mountingmeans for pivotally attaching said frame at a garage doorway forpivoting said frame out of the doorway when not in use;

a plurality of spray nozzles spacedly mounted on said pipes of saidframe for directing a plurality of sprays of water into the areaencompassed by said frame and said nozzles being directed outwardly awayfrom said garage; detergent supply means;

water supply line means extending from a supply of water to said frame;communicating line means from said water supply line means into saiddetergent supply means and outlet means from said detergent supply meansinto said water supply line means downstream from said communicatingline means; control said water supply line means including a three waycontrol valve for closing said water supply line means, for directingwater into said detergent supply means and for directing only water fromthe water supply to said frame; and means for pivoting said frame at anangle from the face of the garage door opening.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said hinged mounting includeshinges mounted on at least one of the legs of said frame for mounting onajamb at a garage doorway.

1. Apparatus for mounting at garage doorways to wash automobiles andlike vehicles comprising: at least one set of water pipes forming agenerally inverted U-shaped frame having two legs and having a width andheight to accomodate an automobile therethrough; hinged mounting meansfor pivotally attaching said frame at a garage doorway for pivoting saidframe out of the doorway when not in use; a plurality of spray nozzlesspacedly mounted on said pipes of said frame for directing a pluralityof sprays of water into the area encompassed by said frame and saidnozzles being directed outwardly away from said garage; detergent supplymeans; water supply line means extending from a supply of water to saidframe; communicating line means from said water supply line means intosaid detergent supply means and outlet means from said detergent supplymeans into said water supply line means downstream from saidcommunicating line means; control said water supply line means includinga three way control valve for closing said water supply line means, fordirecting water into said detergent supply means and for directing onlywater from the water supply to said frame; and means for pivoting saidframe at an angle from the face of the garage door opening.
 2. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein said hinged mounting includes hingesmounted on at least one of the legs of said frame for mounting on a jambat a garage doorway.